^ That certainly suggests I may have under-estimated Kiss-and-Ride's share (you describe a scene with 100% Kiss-and-Ride) and therefore my estimate over-stated the need for Park-and-Ride spots. So I think we've shown that they have enough parking.

Then the question was: is Pontiac so Kiss-and-Ride that the only waiting room needed was people's cars? I'd like to think that the upgrade was worth it: high Kiss-and-Ride share could mean good demand for a waiting room on the outbound-from-Pontiac leg of trips (just like commuter railroads used to put waiting rooms on the "morning inbound" side of the tracks only). Being able to drop your family member early and drive away makes offering a lift to the station at the start of a trip less burdensome (particularly if the train runs late). And the station sends the "Chamber of Commerce" message that "We care. We welcome you." I hope it drive lots of non-park-and-ride ridership growth.

"Trying to solve congestion by making roadways wider is like trying to solve obesity by buying bigger pants."--Charles Marohn

I believe today Springfield Union Station (SPG) (Massachusetts) opened to the public. I'm not sure when Amtrak will be moving in, or if an agreement has even been signed. Nothing yet about the station "moving" (from one side of the tracks to the other) on the official amtrak.com station developments page.

shadyjay wrote:I believe today Springfield Union Station (SPG) (Massachusetts) opened to the public. I'm not sure when Amtrak will be moving in, or if an agreement has even been signed. Nothing yet about the station "moving" (from one side of the tracks to the other) on the official amtrak.com station developments page.

Construction has finally begun on a high level platform at Springfield, MA (SPG.) Work has begun on the shifting of track 6 slightly to the south towards track 8 to accommodate the rebuilt platform. The current platform clearance between the abandoned stairwell house and the edge of the platform does not meet ADA requirements so the new platform needs to be 6 inches wider on both sides.Tracks 4 and 6 both need to be shifted away from the platform to accommodate this. Work is also nearing completion on wayside power cabinets for tracks 2a, 4, 6, and 8 so that trains may finally be connected to grid power at Springfield rather than idling the Genesis locomotives all night.

BWI Amtrak station is under reconstruction to expand its waiting area and restrooms. Passengers need to take a crosswalk to the northbound platform to access a temporary station via a wooden crosswalk. The crosswalk next to the main elevator is blocked off. Staff is on hand to guide you around.

Schenectady's new $23 million Amtrak station opened Wednesday, two weeks ahead of schedule, as Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul touted the building as the latest improvement to the Empire Corridor, the busy passenger rail line running from Manhattan to Buffalo and Niagara Falls.

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The new station is the latest along the busy rail corridor. Rensselaer received a new station in 2002. Niagara Falls' new station opened in 2016, and Rochester's new station opened last autumn.

State officials are working on a new station to replace Buffalo's Exchange Street building.

The new Schenectady station includes tall arched windows and other architectural elements intended to echo Schenectady Union Station, which was built in 1908 and demolished in 1971.

So another problem leftover from the '60's/'70's is finally dealt with.

Construction on Charlotte Gateway (downtown) station is now underway. Trackwork and signals are fully funded (and construction is happening now). An RFP for a private developer to build the station building as part of a larger project has been issued by the city and an agreement is hoped for by December.

The station will be here: https://goo.gl/maps/QLobdjCYhqy While this site is not on the currently operating light rail line it will be connected to the Blue Line via the Gold Line (streetcar) which is now under construction. There is discussion of an additional 2-3 light rail lines (locally preferred alternatives are now being identified) and it is likely that all of them will pass by Gateway (if they get built).

Unfortunately the soonest anyone will board trains in downtown Charlotte is 2022, while the trackwork should be finished two years before that there are no plans for a temporary station.

^ Timing breaking ground on train stations is like planting trees: the best time is always "5 years ago," but the second best time is now. Congratulations to Charlotte (and all of NC) for starting this worthy project.

"Trying to solve congestion by making roadways wider is like trying to solve obesity by buying bigger pants."--Charles Marohn

Charlotte will be the final piece of NCDOT’s station improvement program (assuming that they’re not going to do anything with the flag stop for the Crescent in Gastonia). It has been an impressive achievement:

It must be partly due to a growing population (of transplanted northerners, too) that has impelled a purple consensus in favor of rail enhancements in both NC and VA (and partly that growth generates $ in a way that the stagnating population of traditional "Blue" rail states cannot).

The other factor (for staying on topic in a Stations thread) must simply be the availability of under-used, well-located legacy sites and buildings.

"Trying to solve congestion by making roadways wider is like trying to solve obesity by buying bigger pants."--Charles Marohn

Arlington wrote:It must be partly due to a growing population (of transplanted northerners, too) that has impelled a purple consensus in favor of rail enhancements in both NC and VA (and partly that growth generates $ in a way that the stagnating population of traditional "Blue" rail states cannot).

The other factor (for staying on topic in a Stations thread) must simply be the availability of under-used, well-located legacy sites and buildings.

You are correct that building / rebuilding stations in NC is relatively easy since most of our growth has been suburban rather than urban until the past decade. The land along the NCRR was largely neglected simply because its long been easier to build new in surrounding sprawlville. It also helps that much of these stations were already on land owned by the NCRR (see below).

I'll add one other factor to the list: The fact that the main rail spine in NC is owned by a quasi-private company (the NCRR, the only shareholder is the state of NC) whos'e mission is to 'improve the quality of life of North Carolinians" gives some cover to the pols when funding rail projects because they can point to a quasi-PPP contributing to the project. The lease that the NCRR maintains with NS also helps -- NC can run as many passenger trips as they want, provided that none of them interfere with NS's leased capacity. These terms mean that their is very little debate about what passenger trips are 'allowed' and now that GSO to CLT is fully double tracked there is a ton of new capacity. There is very little freight traffic east of GSO.

Station Aficionado wrote:(assuming that they’re not going to do anything with the flag stop for the Crescent in Gastonia).

Gastonia does frequently get mentioned as a possible end point for Piedmont services. The current (very right wing) speaker of the NC House is from the adjacent county to the West and he recently pushed through a feasibility study of the extension of Piedmont trains all the way to Kings Mountain (see link below for a very brief mention of this). Unfortunately I think Charlotte's new passenger equipment service yard (not yet opened) and NS's "parking lot" status South of Charlotte are going to block any easy Piedmont expansions.https://www.gastongazette.com/news/2018 ... priorities

Light rail to Belmont (the eastern edge of Gaston county) does look likely if Charlotte can find $$$ for transit expansion

As of today, North Station in Boston (southern terminus of Amtrak's Downeaster) has the planned opening of a new entrance directly on Causeway St and a new pedestrian tunnel connecting it to the green line and orange line.

This means that connections from Portland Maine to New York City will never be more exposed to the elements than when they alight on to the North Station platforms.

Once inside North Station, passengers may connect via an underground pedestrian tunnel to the Orange Line to Amtrak's Back Bay station and board Northeast Corridor trains there.

"Trying to solve congestion by making roadways wider is like trying to solve obesity by buying bigger pants."--Charles Marohn

Arlington wrote:As of today, North Station in Boston (southern terminus of Amtrak's Downeaster) has the planned opening of a new entrance directly on Causeway St and a new pedestrian tunnel connecting it to the green line and orange line.

This means that connections from Portland Maine to New York City will never be more exposed to the elements than when they alight on to the North Station platforms.

Once inside North Station, passengers may connect via an underground pedestrian tunnel to the Orange Line to Amtrak's Back Bay station and board Northeast Corridor trains there.

Hopefully, in about a year, Charleston, SC will have a new station built next to the existing one, which will be leveled. They are beginning to landscape around the new building, which will be a joint rail, transit bus and intercity bus.